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2006.93.1

Headdress of black and white Colobus monkey fur trimmed with cowrie shells. Worn by young men in circumcision ceremonies. [MdeA 13/11/2007]

2006.93.1

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Collection type
Object
Description
Headdress of black and white Colobus monkey fur trimmed with cowrie shells. Worn by young men in circumcision ceremonies. [MdeA 13/11/2007]
Long description
Headdress worn by young men in circumcision ceremonies. The main body of the headdress is made of a cone of Colobus monkey skin with the long black and white hair still attached. The wider end of the cone is the part which touches the head. The long white hair hangs down towards the back of the headdress. The maximum internal length of the cone is 353 mm. The skin is held in the cone shape by stitching with a thick plant fibre thread. At the base of the headdress a band of skin approximately 55 mm high has been attached to the cone. This band of skin is decorated with and attached to the cone by means of six rows of cowrie shells which run around the band and have been stitched on with twisted plant fibre yarn. A double strap for keeping the headdress fixed on to the head of the wearer has been attached between the skin of the cone and the skin of the cowrie band. The double strap is made of recycled? black rubber and the straps are of two different lengths [one is approximately 410 mm from end to end and the other 285 mm from end to end]. In photographs of young men wearing similar headdresses it appears as if the shorter strap is worn on the forehead and the longer one around the chin. [MdeA 13/11/2007]
Geographical reference
Uganda
Africa > Eastern Africa > Uganda
Mbale District
Cultural groups
Gisu
Bagisu
Person
Field collector Suzette Heald
PRM source Suzette Heald
Date / Period
Date made: Before 1967-1969
Date collected
1967 - 1969
Acquisition information
Donated: 08/11/2006
Materials and processes
Material Monkey Hair Animal, Material Cowrie Shell, Material Plant Fibre Yarn, Material Rubber Plant, Material Monkey Skin Animal, Process Stitched, Process Twisted, Process Recycled
Dimensions
Length: max 353 mm main headdress, internal
Object numbers
Accession number: 2006.93.1
Associated publications
See Heald, Suzette 1999. Manhood and Morality: Sex, Violence and Ritual in Gisu Society, London and New York: Routledge. [MdeA 13/11/2007] According to the donor the circumcision regalia in this collection was collected from one of the young men in the film Imbalu: Ritual of Manhood of the Gisu of Uganda, made by Suzette Heald and R. Hawkins in 1988. University of California, Los Angeles. Distributed by the Royal Anthropological Insititute. [MdeA 13/11/2007]

Search terms: Ritual and Ceremonial, Clothing Headgear, Ornament, Ceremonial Object, Headdress, Hat

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